Amalgamator



A. B. HILL AMALGAMATOR oct. 25,vv 1938.

Filed Jan. 3, 1938 n i l MJS.

INVENTOR Patented Oct. 25, 1938 UNITED STAT-Es 2,134,445 AMALGAMATOR vAnsel B. Hill,

Application JanuaryV 3,

e y 7 Claims. The invention relates to an amalgamator and more especially to" a gold saving `or separating machine of the vertical type and mercury con tained. e

`The primary object ofthe invention is the provision of a machine of this character, wherein the same is used in mill concentrates and wet or dry placer ground for the recovery of gold particles through mechanical action forcing and circulating the material through the mercury, which latter will readily amalgamate with the particles of gold and due to the specific gravities or the difference in the weight of the mercury and gold, the particles will precipitate into a receiver therefor and in this manner will be recovered.

Another object of the invention isthe provie sion of a machineof this character, wherein the impellerhaving arconstant speed and the Vmaterial having aconstantow to the impeller holds a constant mercury level and through mechanical action gold particles can be recovered to avoid loss thereof and `with dispatch, the waste being delivered from the machine automatically. Y

A further object of theinvention is the provision of a machine of this character, wherein `the amalgam unit can be readily'cleaned and "under mechanical action gold particles will be scrubbed, cleaned and polished. w v

A still'further object of theinvention is the provision of amachine of this character, which is simple in its construction, thoroughly reliable and efficient in operation, mechanical in the `working thereof and inexpensiveto manufacture land install. y Y

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will behereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which discloses the preferredv embodiment of the, invention and pointed `out in the claims hereunto appended.;

In the accompanying drawing:

'Figure 1 is a verticaly sectional view through a machine constructed in accordance with the invention. ,y M

Figure 2 is a plan view of one of the stationary amalgam disks or plates.

Figure 3 isa plan view ofonegof the revolving amalgam" disks or plates;l

slinger employed in the machine.

Figure Y5Nis a top plan view of a spiral amalgamator unit employed in the machine.

Similar reference characters indicate corre- "Figure`4 is 'a plan viewof anragitator and sand seattle, Wash.

193s,` serial No. 133,168

vspor'iding parts throughout the several views in the` drawing. v

` Referring to the drawing in detail, A desig` nates generally a" portion of the machine constructed in accordance with the invention and involves a cylindrical body Il having ahopper- Cil like closed bottom II while the opposite upper end I2'is open and this body forms a holder for mercury, the level thereof within the said body being indicated at I3.

Centrally arranged within the body I for a distance of the upper portion is an impeller tube I4, vwhich has its vupper end projected above the mercurylevel I3 and linto which leads a feed chute l5; while concentrically about this tube is a series of.superirnposed spiral amalgam plates I6 effecting a pluralityv of spiral feed ways Il by n the spiral contour thereof. Each plate I6 has its CenterhubI-IB which is of .circular formation concentrically about theimpeller'tube I4.

Within thebody IIl below the tube I4 are series of alternately `arranged stationary-and revolving disks I9 and 20, respectively, being alternately arranged with relation to each other zand have formed therein'verticallyedisposed holes 2l which are tapered both at the top and bottom toward" the middle `as at -22 and 23, respectively. The stationary disks I9 are held at rest upon seating ears 244through the medium of set screws 25, the `ears beingintegrally formed with and pro- 4ject from the interior surfa The disks I9 and20 have their circular hubs Z6 `vertically aligned with each other and in register -with the limpeller tube. I4 while the hubs of the revolving disks Z0 -interi'ltand have bearing `in`A Vthe hubs of the stationary disks while the upper- A `most stationary disk I9 has` created therein a seatfQr the lower end of the impeller tube I4.

,- YPassing through the hubs 26 of the disks I9 and 20 `are the spiral blades 2'! ofran impeller splined or keyed at 28 with a power shaft 29' carriedupwardly centrally through the tube It and jcurnaled at 30 at its upper end outside of the body I0, being equipped with a power pulley '3| in` association with a power `source (not ce of the body Illy" shown). The hubs 26 of the rotary disks 20 are spoked at 32 with the impeller to rotate concurrently therewith vwhile the hubs 26 of thestationary disks I9 `are loose about the said impeller. The shaftZQ at its lowerend has fixed thereto a e .bladed agitator and sand slinger 33 operating with the hand operated cut-off valves 36 and 2l', respectively, which are spaced apart to regulate the reception of the particles and the discharge thereof to and from the receiver 35.

In communication with the upper open end I2 of the body I is a discharge chute 38 which delivers the waste from the body IU outside of the impeller tube Illr therein.

The upper faces of the revolving disks 29 have formed thereon centripetal ridges 39 while the under faces of these disks at the perimeters thereof are provided with annular lips lili effective to prevent material from being thrown past the outside rim thereof while the centripetal ridges 39 overcome the centrifugal action set upby the revolving disks 20. l

The plates I6 are made from copper and the body I0 is made from cast metal.

In the operation of the machine thematerial is fed intov the impeller tube I4 and is forced downwardly by the impeller mechanically Vrotating and driven by the shaft 29, the'blades 2'I of said impeller being possessed of a right hand pitch and revolve ina left hand direction. The material is forced into the chamber 34 at the lower hopper end II and thence through the coaction of the disks I9 and 20 the said material works upwardly through the holes 2|, the combined agitator and sand slinger 33 acting to agitate and equally distribute through the mercury within the body I0 and on its upward course. The material rises due to its difference in weight and the weight of the mercury while the lower taper 23 of the holes in the disks I9 and 20 aids in focusing the material to and through the holes while the taper 22 at the top of the latter causes the material to spread out and scatter through the mercury. This taper 22 at the top of the holes also allows the gold particles held in the mercury while in the state of agitation to settle to the bottom of the body l0 when the machine comes to a standstill. The annular lips 49 at the under side of the rotary disks 20 prevent the material from being thrown past the outside rims of these` disks while the ridges 39 overcome the centrifugal action caused by the disks 29 revolving, thesedisks I9 and 20 in cooperation function asv an impeller in the upward ow of the mercury within the body I0 and the copper plates I61in their spiral contour cause the material to rub and bear on the surfaces thereof during the upward course of the material and effect the gold particles to amalgamate with the mercury and adhere to these plates I 6. The spiral plates I6 also serve the purpose of preventing the materialfrom carrying particles of mercury with it by checking the velocity of such material while the spiral formation of these plates being such to cause the material to move in nearly al horizontal Vdirection when leaving the mercury, the waste materials being floated upwardly and over the top of the body I0 for discharge therefrom through the chute 38.

What is claimed is:

1. A machine of the kind described'comprising a vertically disposed cylindrical body having a hopper-like bottom, a valved receiver opening through the hopper-like bottom at the lowermost portion thereof, an impeller tube arranged within the upper portion of said body, superposed spiral amalgam plates about said tube and effecting a spiral way concentrically of the latter, series of alternately arranged stationary and revolving disks below said tube and having vertically disposed holes tapered at the top and bottom toward the middle thereof, means within the body for the seating of the stationary disks therein, circular hubs formed with the disks in alignment with the impeller tube and intertted with each other, and means extended through the said tube and having connection with the revolving disks for imparting rotation thereto.

2. A machine of the kind described comprising a vertically disposed cylindrical body having a hopper-like bottom, a valved receiver opening through the hopper-like bottom at the lowermost portion thereof, an impeller tube arranged within the upper portion of said body, superposed spiral amalgam plates about said tube and effecting a spiral way concentrically of the latter, series of alternately arranged stationary and revolving disks below said tube and having vertically disposed holes tapered at the top and bottom toward the middle thereof, means within the body for the seating of the stationary disks' therein, circular hubs formed with the disks in alignment with the impeller tube and intertted with each other, means extended through the said tube and having connection with the revolving disks for imparting rotation thereto, and a feed chute opening into the said tube at the top of the body.

3. A machine of the kind described comprising a vertically disposed cylindrical body having a hopper-like bottom, a valved receiver opening through the hopper-like bottom at the lowermost portion thereof, an impeller tube arranged within the upper portion of said body, superposed spiral amalgam plates about said tube and effecting a spiral way concentrically of the latter, series of alternately arranged stationary and revolving disks below said tube and having vertically disposed holes tapered at the top and bottom toward the middle thereof, means within the body for the seating of the stationary disks therein, circular hubs formed with the disks in alignment with the impeller tube and interfitted with each other, means extended through the said tube and having connection with the revolving disks for imparting-rotation thereto, a feed chute opening into the said tube at the top of the body, and a discharge chute having a portion about the upper part of said body and communicative with the latter at its top.

4. A machine. of the kind described comprising a vertically disposed cylindrical body having a hopper-like bottom, a valved receiver opening ,through the hopper-like` bottom at the lowermost portion thereof, an impeller tube arranged within the upper portion of said body, superposed spiral amalgam plates about said tube and effecting a spiral way concentrically of the latter, series of alternately arranged stationary and revolving disks below said tube and having vertically disposed holes tapered at the top and bottom toward the middle thereof, means within the body for the seating of the stationary disks therein, circular hubs formed with the disks in alignment with the impeller tube and interttedwith eachy other, means extended through the said tube and having connection with the revolving disks for imparting rotation thereto, a feed chute opening into the said tube at the top of the body, a discharge chute having a portion about the upper part of 'said body and communicative with the latter at its top, and a bladed agitator rotatably operated by said `means and within the hopper-like bottom for said body. Y

5. A machine of the kind described comprising a vertically disposed cylindrical body having a hopper-like bottom,` a valved receiver opening through the hopper-like-bottom at the lowermost portion thereof, an impeller tube arranged Within the upper portion of said body, superposed spiral amalgam plates about said tube and effecting a spiral way concentrically of the latter, series of alternately arranged stationary and revolving disks below said-tube and having vertically dis'- posed holes tapered at the top and bottom toward the middle thereof, means within the body for the seating o-f they stationary disks therein, circular hubs formed with the disks in alignment with the impeller tube and intertted with each other, means extended through the said tube and having connection with thegrevolving disks for imparting rotation thereto, a feed chute opening into the said tube at the top of the body, a discharge 'chute having a portion about the upper part of said body andrcommunicative with the latter at its top, a bladed agitator rotatably operated by said means and within'the hopper-like bottom for said body, and a mercurial column within the body and having a level above the amalgam plates.

6.' A machine of the kind described comprising a vertically disposed cylindrical body having a hopper-like bottom, a valved receiver opening through they hopper-like bottom at the lowermost portion thereof, an impeller tube arranged within the upper portion of said body, superposed spiral amalgam plates about said tube and elicoting a spiral Way concentrically of the latter, series of alternately arranged stationary `and revolving disks below said tube and having vertically disposed holes tapered at the top and bottom to- Ward the middle'thereof, means within the body for the seating of the stationary disks therein, circular hubs formed with the disks in alignment with the impeller tubeand intertted with each other, means extended through the said tube and having connection with the revolving disks for imparting rotation thereto, a feed chute opening into the .said tube at the top of the body, a discharge chute having a portion about the upper part of said body and communicative with the latter at its top, a bladed agitator rotatably operated by said means and within the hopper-like bottom for said body, a mercurial column within the body and having a level above the amalgam plates, and centripetal ridges formed at the upper faces of the revolving disks.

'7. A machine of the kind described comprising a vertically disposed cylindrical body having a hopper-like bottom, a Valved receiver opening Y.

through the hopper-like bottom at the lowermost portion thereof, an impeller tube arranged within the upper portion of said body, superposed spiral amalgam plates` about said tube and effecting a spiral way concentrically of the latter, series of alternately arranged stationary and revolving disks below said tube and having vertically disposed holes tapered at the top and bottom toward the middle thereof, means within the body for the seating of the stationary disks therein,

circular hubs formed with the disks in alignment with the impeller tube yand intertted with each other, means extended through the said tube and Yhaving connection with the revolving disks for imparting rotation thereto, a feed chute opening into the said tube at the top of the body, a discharge chute having a portion about the upper part of said body and communicative with the latter at its top, a bladed agitator rotatably operated by said means and Within the hopper-like bottom for said body, a mercurial column within the body and having a level above the amalgam ANSEL B. HILL.

plates, centripetal ridges formed at the upper 

